There's a difference between walking away from something and walking toward yourself.
This meditation draws inspiration from a line of ancient sacred poetry,
Psalm 1 1.
And I want to name something before we go further.
I know that for some,
Anything that sounds religious can bring up pain or hesitation,
Especially if your trauma has roots in spiritual spaces.
So this offering isn't about conversion.
It's not about belief.
It's about reclaiming meaning wherever you find it.
Psalm 1 1 offers more than theology.
It offers a poetic reflection on healing.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor set in the seat of scoffers.
And now let's turn inward.
Because long before you walk any path,
You walk around in the body.
Let's bring awareness to where you are now,
Not just metaphorically,
But physically.
Let the wisdom of your body speak.
For anyone healing from trauma,
This verse may sound less like a rule and more like a road map.
Because many of us have walked with voices that weren't ours,
Stood in roles we never chose,
And sat in shame that was never ours to shoulder.
This meditation is a chance to step out of that and back into you.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Sometimes,
The voices we walk with aren't cruel,
They're just familiar.
Keep the peace.
Don't speak up.
You're too sensitive.
Perhaps you're not enough,
But you're allowed to stop walking with voices that never spoke truth.
So now,
Just like in life,
Try this.
When a thought arises,
Ask yourself,
Is this voice mine?
Or is this something I once survived?
That one question can change your direction.
That one question can create a pause for you to clearly see.
Nor stand in the path of sinners.
You see,
Standing in a path can mean settling in a pattern,
A pattern of people-pleasing,
Perfectionism,
Numbing,
Over-functioning,
Or hyper-independence.
And while these patterns may have kept you safe,
They now keep you stuck.
So the next time you feel overwhelmed,
Pause for simply five seconds before responding.
Breathe.
And stand in the pause,
Not in the pattern.
And while this pause may be hard,
The more you practice,
The easier it becomes.
Because that moment is a sacred shift.
That pause means you've stopped standing in what wounds you,
And begin to see in what heals.
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers.
Sitting is about identity,
Where we rest,
Where we stay,
Where we call home.
Have you sat in shame just to feel safe?
Or in self-judgment just to stay guarded?
Or have you engaged in self-sabotage just to feel in control?
Or because you felt you weren't worthy?
Maybe you've made your seat in bitterness,
Cynicism,
Or silence.
But know that you don't have to sit there anymore.
So try making space for softness in the way you speak to yourself,
In what you allow yourself to need,
In where you choose to rest.
Because you are allowed to sit somewhere new.
You are not weak for walking with pain.
You are not broken for standing in survival.
You are not wrong for sitting where you had to sit.
But today,
You are choosing again.
Today,
You are practicing walking towards yourself,
Standing in your truth,
And sitting in your worth.
So let these words guide you.
I walk with peace.
I stand in truth.
I sit in love.
Again,
Quietly or aloud,
I walk with peace.
I stand in truth.
I sit in love.
And at any point,
Should you feel overwhelmed,
Should you notice your thoughts have taken over and you're going down that rabbit hole once again,
Pause briefly.
Ask yourself whose words are these,
And with the compassion that you would provide a friend,
Remind them.
I walk with peace.
I stand in truth.
I sit in love.
Begin again.
And again.
Begin to make your way back to my voice,
To the ground beneath your feet,
Your seat.
And know that you don't have to walk on eggshells to be loved.
You don't have to stand in fire to prove your strength.
And you don't have to sit in shame to be seen.
Not every road is meant for you.
Not every belief is built to hold your truth.
And not every voice you've internalized deserves a front row seat in your becoming.
You can stand somewhere new.
You can walk toward what restores you.
Because you've already begun the walk away that saved you.
May your mind,
Body,
And spirit be abundant with peace,
With courage,
With clarity.
Because when you stand in your truth and sit in your grace,
You no longer chase healing.
You simply let it take place.
Today and every day.
Until next time,
My friend.
Namaste.
